Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-18

nually in progress under unfavorable conditions
of supply all around us to show that If this irri
cation be profitable, it will be more profitable
still to irrigate from large canals constructed
at first cost of between IS and SO per acre, at
an annual expense for water of only 81 to 81 per
acre.
The average annual rainfall in Sacramento
since 1919 has been about twenty inches. OF
this amount fourteen inches ordinarily fall dur
ing the months December to March inclusive
two inches each during November and April,
times during June. July and October.
With this rainfall, unaided by any artificial
application of water. it has been demonstrated
possible 10 produce every variety of product
adapted to this climate and to the most deep
alIuylal soils OF the river bottoms: it is still
considered profitable to raise grain on the lands
BACK from the river at the risk of partial failure
in years of less than the average rainfall, with
certainty OF good crops in seasons of more than
the average rainfall. Further than this it is
found that on these lands by systematic careful
cultivation (by means of which the winter sup
ply OF moisture to the soil is husbandedl IL is
possible to cultivate successfully fruits and the
vine. and examples are numerous where this
cultivation has been found profitable
Admitting this to be the case, and remember
ing that where the return from an acre of vines
without 1rr1gati was one TO two tons of grapes
per acre, on soil of the character and depth as
that at Florin it has been three to four tons per
acre with irrigation, and that irrigation causes
similar increase in the fruit yield, then the
conclusion is inevitable that for such products
as fruits and grapes irrigation is desirable, even
though II be impossible to continue il beyond
the latter part of June. In other words it will
be boon to the fruit and grape industries of
this section to have facilities for proloDging the
time the soil of orchards and vineyards is moist
from May LIST TO some time in Jul, or August.
Where water is available in large quantities
I'LL some time in July, the third crop of alfalfa
can be irrigated, and after it has been harvested
the fields Will yield abundant pasturage through
the winer. The spreading of moisture in many
channels through the country will even where
the practice of irrigating gram land does not
lind favor, bring many an unexpected profit TO
the grain-raiser in the shape of increased yield
and no failure of crops
am pleased to be able to report, in connec-
tlon with the question of what sources of water
are available to supply the needs of this section
OF the great valley, that they are many and that
they are ample.
The irrigahle lands of Sacramento county
must be divided into two classes, of which one
comprises the foothill and rolling land at the
base OF the Sierra Nevada while the other COM
prises the gently-sloping, smooth faced plain,
which extends from the base of the rolling
land westward to the Sacramento river. These
classes are again divided into three natural dis
tricts by the streams descending from the Sierra
Nevada. The first of these lie north of the
American river. The second between the
American and Cosumnes river; and the third
between the Costumes river and Dry creek. In
these three districts there respectively 5000
acres, 10000 acres, and $1,000 acres of land of
good quality, admirably adapted for irrigation.
Probably nowhere in the world is irrigation
practiced under precisely the same conditions of
soil and climate as here in California. Rarely
can an agricultural country be found with a
long dry season similar to that of the Pacific
coast.
In most countries in which irrigation has
found favor each month brings to the soil at
least several inches of rainfall, and the annual
precipitation frequently ranges from forty to
sixty inches. 1t is difficult TO make the expert
ence OF irrigation in countries SO dissimilar to
our own a basis for an estimate of the quantity
of water required here per acre of land lrriga-
ted. 1t is better to adopt as basis for an esti-
mate of water required, the experience of irriga-
tors IN California, even though this experience
does not extend over very long series of years.
On such basis, with due consideration of
the character of the soil to be irrigated and the
diversity of crops which will be cultivated, l
nave estimated that the quantity of water
which should be available TO accomplish irr
CATION ought to be about follows: January
70 June tlnclusive), one cubic foot per second
for each 300 acres; July and August, one cubic
foot per second for each 500 acres; September to
october, none; November and December one
cubic foot per second for each 500 acres.
In other words there should be supplied by
the main canals enough water to food all the
land covered by each to depth of is feet in
the months of January to June, 2 feet in July
and August, and 2 feet in November and De-
cember.
1t is of the greatest importance to have full
supply of water as above indicated in the
canals during the first six months of each year.
If this can be accomplished irrigation will be a
the canals during the rest of the year.
According to areas above noted as comprised
in the tbree districts into which the irrigable
lald is divided there will therefore be required
the following supply of water:
North OF American Iiver-January to June
Qnclusive), 275 cubic feet per second; July and
August, ITO cubic feet per second September
aud October, none; November and December,
ITO cubic feet per second.
Between American and Costumes rivers
January to June Gnclusive), 600 cubic feet per
second; July and August $40 cubic feet per sec
ond September and October, none; November
and December, 240 cubic feet per second.
Between Costumes river and Dry creek-Jan-
uary to June (inclusive), 400 cubic feet per sec
ond; July and August, ICE cubic feet per second;
September and October none; November and
December, 100 cubic feet per second.
The total supply of water required for the ir-
rigable land in the county is: January to June
dnclusive), 1,275 cubic feet per second; July and
August, $40 cubic feet per second September
and october none; November and December
$40 cubic feet per second.
The sources of water supply for these districts
are as follows American river for the region
north of this river, and for nearly all of the re-
giCn between it and Costumes river; Costumes
river for the southeastern and extreme southern
portion of the region between the Costumes and
American, and Costumes river, supplemented
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